“We want to open up access to the arts, create opportunities for young people, and inspire our next generation of writers, artists and performers.”
Bradford gets £10m cash injection to help create almost 7,000 jobs
Bradford is to be given £10m to kick off its year as City Of Culture, which it claims will generate almost 7,000 jobs in the city.
The investment will support the delivery of Bradford’s programme of cultural activity over the year – ranging from live performances in existing cultural venues to pop-up experiences in a bespoke touring venue, Beacon.
About 1,000 performances will take place in 2025, developed with local artists and creatives. They are expected to attract 15.5 million visitors and bring an additional visitor spend of £136.9 million into the local economy over the course of the year.
The increased cultural and economic activity is expected to deliver up to £389 million of growth for Bradford as UK City of Culture 2025.
The funding boost will also help Bradford with its ambition, set out in its bid to host the event, to create 6,845 new jobs and opportunities right across the city by 2030.
In addition, Arts Council England is allocating £5 million in National Lottery funding to support Bradford’s programme during its tenure as UK City of Culture.
The National Lottery Heritage Fund also confirms today it is awarding £4.95 million specifically to develop a programme of activities to bring the diverse heritage of the city to the fore during 2025’s celebrations.
Culture Minister Stuart Andrew said: “With its unique culture and young and vibrant population, Bradford will be a fantastic host for the UK City of Culture 2025. We are investing £10 million in the city this year to help prepare for the event so we can make sure it stimulates new jobs and growth in the local economy through culture.
Barnsley leads the nation to extended childcare provision by nurseries
Barnsley’s local authority is one of 16 nationwide selected by the government to help it work towards the ambition for all parents of primary school aged children to access childcare in their local area between 8am and 6pm.
The announcement came as it was revealed that nurseries are set to receive a £204 million cash boost as part of the Government’s promise to deliver the largest ever investment in childcare.
The plans are designed to remove significant barriers to support parents to return to work and help to grow the economy by making childcare more accessible.
Every area across the country is getting a share of the government funding which childcare providers can use to ease cost pressures such as staffing costs, training and bills. Funding rates per child paid from September will increase from an average of £5.29 to £5.62 for three and four-year-olds, and from an average of £6.00 to £7.95 for two-year-olds.
From April 2024, eligible working parents of two-year-olds will get a new offer of 15 free hours per week of free childcare. From September 2024, eligible parents will get 15 free hours from nine months until their children start school, and from September 2025, they will get 30 free hours from nine months until the start of school.
All local authorities will start to receive their share of £289 million in funding from January 2024 to support their delivery of the programme, with parents expected to see an expansion in the availability of wraparound care from September 2024.
Chancellor of the Exchequer, Jeremy Hunt said: “I know the cost of childcare can be a real struggle for parents and can become a barrier to work. That’s why we announced the largest ever expansion of free childcare at Spring Budget, and today we’re increasing hourly funding rates to make sure the system is ready to deliver, including uplifting rates for a two-year-old by a third.”
Catering equipment firm changes hands in management buy out
More than 20 years after founding Denby Catering Equipment MD George Hartley is retiring and handing over the reins of the Wakefield-based business to former accounts and service manager Richard Garfitt following the completion of a Management Buy Out.
Richard, 29, joined the business ten years ago in an office administration/purchase ledger role, going on to manage client accounts, developing extensive product knowledge and becoming involved in all aspects of the business’ operations, including project quotations and design.
The £1.8m turnover business comprises a team of experienced kitchen designers and project managers who specialise in the design, supply and installation of catering equipment for commercial kitchens, from one-off replacements to total re-fits. Their expertise includes supply of prime cooking equipment, kitchen ventilation and extraction systems, bespoke stainless steel fabrication, refrigeration (cold rooms and freezer room installation), and repairs, servicing and installations by their in-house Gas Safe registered team.
Denby Catering Equipment has established a strong track record working with local authorities across the UK to supply commercial kitchens in schools, colleges, universities and hospitals, as well as in care homes and sheltered housing accommodation. Its clients include Derbyshire County Council and Wakefield Council.
The deal was supported by Calvin Dexter from Calvin Dexter Financial Solutions in Leeds who acted as fundraising adviser for the MBO. The deal was funded by an SME loan from Mercia, with the Mercia team led by Mike Rogers. Legal advice to Garfitt-Robinson Holdings Limited was provided by Nicola Cooper of Clarion; with financial advice from Mark Spencer of Beaumonts Chartered Accountants in Wakefield.
Founder and former managing director George Hartley said: “Having spent the last 40 years in the catering sector, I have passed on as much knowledge as I can to Richard who joined us early in his career with the appetite and potential to learn, and has demonstrated he has the versatility to flourish in a company like this. He knows the business inside-out and his skills now cover our entire process – I am happy to be leaving Denby in his capable hands.
“Given Richard’s strong client relationships, it will be a seamless transition as the business moves into the next era. Congratulations to Richard and I wish him every success for a prosperous future.”
Balfour Beatty prepares to start £43.5m transformation project in Bradford
Work on a £43.5m transformation of Bradford city centre and build on the city’s architectural legacy is set to begin on Monday as part of a scheme delivered by Bradford Council, in partnership with the West Yorkshire Combined Authority.
The works are being delivered through the Combined Authority’s Transforming Cities Fund programme, which is aimed at making it easier for people to walk, cycle and use public transport.
Balfour Beatty is the construction partner on the project. It’s Area Director Stephen Semple said: “We are excited to start transforming Bradford city centre, turning the City of Bradford Metropolitan District Council and West Yorkshire Combined Authority’s vision into reality.
“Once complete, the scheme will leave a lasting, positive legacy for local communities and residents alike; providing additional green public spaces and new active travel routes which will significantly reduce air pollution in the City Centre.”
Set to deliver the perfect stage for the City of Culture celebrations in 2025, the progect will create a series of new public spaces through the pedestrianisation of some roads, while existing spaces will be brought up to a similar high standard. The new spaces will feature high-quality paving and landscaping, with new green areas, planting and seating, delivering the perfect spaces for public events or gathering to meet friends and family.
A new ‘linear park’ will be created to replace the majority of the existing road space on Hall Ings, featuring new trees and other types of planting. Demolition of the NCP car park is also due to start from late July 2023 to enable a new access point to the Interchange. Together, these elements will create a dramatically improved sense of arrival to the city centre for visitors and commuters alike.
The scheme will modernise the city centre to showcase it at its best, providing attractive new links for people walking or wheeling between the abundance of culture and entertainment venues as Bradford becomes a social city. The end result will provide the perfect setting for residents and the thousands of visitors due to descend on Bradford for the City of Culture year and beyond.
Alongside this, improved cycle routes will be created across the city centre connecting current and planned cycle routes, while enabling people to travel around and across the city in a more sustainable way.
Creating new attractive public spaces with greenery, reducing pollution and making it easier for people to get around the heart of the city centre without negotiating heavy traffic is seen as crucial to creating the right environment to boost the city centre residential population, attract new employers, and create an appropriate setting for the city centre as a thriving visitor destination.
Work will be in two phases; the first will see enabling works on road and pavements around the city centre, and the second will begin in 2024 and will create the new public spaces and walking and cycling routes in the city centre heart, with the vast majority of work due to be completed in time for the City of Culture celebrations starting in 2025.
The Council is warning that disruption and delays to journeys to and from the city centre are likely from the start of construction on 10 July, until the core elements of the works are completed in late December. Significant delays are inevitable at peak times, with the potential for delays at other times.
From January 2024, phase one works to the highway around the city centre will tail off, and bus services will move to their new routing, allowing traffic to flow more normally. While the second phase of works will see significant construction move to the heart of the city centre itself, pedestrian access will be maintained and vehicular access will remain largely unchanged apart from the removal of access to Hall Ings, which will be largely pedestrianised. As a result, disruption should thereafter be greatly reduced up to the scheme being completed in late 2024/early 2025.
Councillor Susan Hinchcliffe, Leader of Bradford Council, said: “We are ambitious for Bradford District, both in terms of driving the economy and seeing Bradford become one of the UK’s most vibrant and sustainable cities.
“Bradford has the potential to have one of the most attractive, accessible and dynamic city centres in the country and we are confident this scheme will deliver that. People will see a transformed city centre that they want to visit when the works are complete.”
Coney Street Riverside receives support of York & North Yorkshire Chamber of Commerce
York & North Yorkshire Chamber of Commerce has publicly pledged its support to Helmsley Group’s Coney Street Riverside masterplan.
The business support organisation, alongside its influential York & North Yorkshire Property Forum lobby group, have urged York City Council to approve the planning applications submitted by the York-based property specialist for the scheme.
The positive comments have been formally submitted to York City Council as part of the planning process.
Proposals for the major regeneration project include the creation of 250,000 sq ft of mixed-use retail, leisure, commercial, residential and extensive public realm.
The vision also supports the introduction of a boutique, independent retail experience, alongside the creation and rejuvenation of the historic lanes and passageways joining Coney Street and the River Ouse together, helping to make the riverfront accessible to all.
Laurence Beardmore, president of York & North Yorkshire Chamber of Commerce, said: “As the Chamber of Commerce, and the York & North Yorkshire Property Forum, we would like to state our support for the exciting and innovative plans that the Helmsley Group is proposing for Coney Street.
“We believe these plans will help to regenerate this part of the city centre in a manner sympathetic to the environment and heritage of our city. It represents a major investment in York that will benefit residents, visitors and businesses alike.
“The new riverside access along with retail and leisure destinations will contribute to the continued improvement of York city centre and vastly improve the public realm in the area.
“These plans will also provide significant economic benefits to the city including the creation of both jobs and increased economic opportunities and will act as a catalyst for further investment and improvements throughout the city centre.
“They will also fully utilise currently underutilised buildings and we would urge York City Council to support these ambitious proposals and approve these planning applications.”
Max Reeves, development director at the Helmsley Group, said: “We are grateful to both York & North Yorkshire Chamber of Commerce and York Property Forum for pledging their backing and public support to our vision for Coney Street Riverside.
“Both are influential groups within York and across the wider region as well as being representative of hundreds of leading organisations and people.
“Their support, alongside the extensive consultation work we have undertaken, is further evidence of the positive way our proposals have been received in the community.
“As we have previously stated, Coney Street Riverside offers a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to deliver the city’s long-held ambition to reinvigorate a loved but sadly under-appreciated area, reconnect Coney Street with its riverfront, create much-needed public realm of national standing and improve both connectivity and accessibility within central York. It builds on our vision to honour the area’s rich heritage while sensitively taking the necessary strides required to secure its long-term future.”
Coney Street Riverside is the latest project from Helmsley Group, which has been responsible for delivering landmark schemes across the city for the last 42 years, including the Old Fire Station, Westgate and Merchant’s Exchange on the Riverfront.
Andrew Jackson makes senior solicitor promotion
Regional law firm Andrew Jackson Solicitors LLP has promoted Grace Moreton to the position of senior solicitor in the corporate recovery and insolvency team.
Grace trained and qualified as a corporate solicitor, gaining valuable experience of acting for a range of businesses across different sectors before specialising in restructuring and insolvency work for clients based in the UK and overseas. Her broad client base includes company directors, corporate stakeholders, financial institutions, and insolvency practitioners.
Grace’s work focuses on non-contentious insolvency and restructuring matters, which require specialist knowledge of company procedures including share allotments and transfers, and the preparation and completion of company documentation. She is particularly experienced in drafting and advising on asset sales and purchases, bank security reviews, insolvent property and real estate work, and commercial contracts.
Azher Quyoom, partner, and head of corporate recovery and insolvency at Andrew Jackson Solicitors, said: “Since joining the team, Grace has proven her ability to offer commercial, strategic advice to clients across a broad range of restructuring and insolvency scenarios, from company director disqualification matters, through to restructuring and turnaround assignments and refinancing work on behalf of financial institutions.
“Grace is committed to the provision of trusted legal advice in a commercial and practical manner, which is consistently recognised in our client feedback right across the firm, and there is no doubt that she is an asset to the practice.”
Plans unlocking the development of three empty Hull city centre sites to be considered
Hull City Council’s Cabinet will consider ambitious plans to unlock the development of over 1,000 new homes on three empty city centre sites.
Cabinet will decide whether to give the green light to bring forward development on brownfield sites at the East Bank, known as Eastern Quarter, at St Stephen’s Place on Colonial Street and at Myton City Gateway.
In the proposals, 850 new homes will be created in Eastern Quarter, with a further 200 at St Stephen’s Place.
These would offer the potential for high-quality apartments with activated rooftops, spaces for families, outdoor play and integrated green spaces, as well as private gardens and sports provisions.
The sites will also encourage enterprise, innovation and support the creative industries.
Myton City Gateway would be of mixed commercial use and, given its prominence and proximity to the A63 Castle Street improvements, could deliver an impressive entrance to the city centre with opportunities for retail, commercial and leisure developments.
The overall ambition of the projects is to offer new, inclusive neighbourhoods where people choose to live, work and play.
This would combine Hull’s unique features to create highly sustainable mixed-use urban developments, as well as balanced and diverse high-quality living which respects and reflects the history of each site.
Cllr Paul Drake-Davis, the council’s portfolio holder for regeneration, said: “Like many other towns and cities in the UK, there is a huge housing shortage in Hull that needs to be addressed and cannot be ignored.
“Two of the three empty sites have the potential to provide hundreds of vital new homes and it’s important the council does all it can to build homes every bit on unused brownfield land in the city.
“All three sites are also key to regenerating Hull’s urban fabric, where placemaking and high-quality design can create dynamic and exciting places to live for all generations, foster new communities and unlock opportunities for personal and economic growth.”
Allenby Commercial plan could create 50 jobs at Barton
Work is expected to start later this month on the construction of new business units after Allenby Commercial was given planning permission to expand the Trade Yard brand at a site in Barton, creating up to 50 jobs.
The development at the Humber Bridge Industrial Estate is the latest in The Trade Yard series of sites which have been built by Hull-based Allenby Commercial across East Yorkshire and Northern Lincolnshire.
The company revealed that two national brands have already committed to take units at the site in Falkland Way. Interest in the remaining units is expected to be strong because of the success of the other locations.
In East Yorkshire, The Trade Yard Willerby is full, with businesses which include Toolstation, Screwfix and Easy Bathrooms. The Trade Yard Beverley, where tenants include Toolstation, Screwfix and Howden joinery, now has only one unit available. The Trade Yard Driffield was completed and sold on as a successful project.
The Trade Yard Scunthorpe is at capacity with MKM Building Supplies Ltd, Toolstation, Howdens Joinery, Valley Carpets, Motor Parts Direct and Hayley Group. Allenby Commercial is now working on plans for The Trade Yard Immingham.
At Barton, the three remaining units offer between 3,400 and 13,600 square feet of space and are being promoted as a prime opportunity for trade, warehouse and light industrial occupiers.
Charlie Allenby, Development Director at Allenby Commercial, said: “Our vision is to develop a main trade hub with national names occupying some of the units and creating a one-stop-shop for businesses and DIY enthusiasts. We are aiming to break ground during the summer and the first tenants are expected to arrive in about six months.
“We have a varied portfolio of projects across the region from stylishly renovated historic properties to modern offices but we keep coming back to The Trade Yard concept because it is in demand as a format which really suits that sector. Based on our experience at the other Trade Yard sites this one could create up to 50 new jobs.”
Henton’s names new Director and Head of SME in South Yorkshire
Accountancy and advisory services company Henton’s has named Richard Munoz as its Director and Head of SME in South Yorkshire.
Richard’s extensive background includes training in local firms across Sheffield and West Yorkshire, with these ranging from top ten national firms to independent local practices. This diverse exposure has equipped him with a comprehensive understanding of the needs and challenges faced by businesses operating in various sectors.
Richard said: “I am truly honoured to join Hentons, a company known for its unwavering commitment to delivering exceptional service and fostering meaningful client relationships.
“I am eager to leverage my experience and work alongside a talented team to serve the vibrant business community of the South Yorkshire region.”
Nadeem Ahmed, Managing Partner at Hentons said: “Richard’s extensive experience and dedication to client service align perfectly with Hentons’ values and our commitment to delivering exceptional results. We are excited to have him on board and look forward to the valuable contributions he will bring to our growing team.”
ABP CEO reflects on a ‘very special year’ for the company
In its Annual Review Associated British Ports has laid out the company’s ‘Ambitious for Britain’ agenda across areas such as handling £157 billion of trade, enabling the UK clean energy transition and catalysing growth in coastal communities and industrial locations across Britain.
The ABP Annual Review 2023 demonstrates how ABP has continued to adapt and innovate against a backdrop of evolving trade patterns, geopolitical challenges and climate change. The Annual Review illustrates ABP’s role as an ambitious business and sustainability leader in the maritime sector.
The central theme of the publication is ‘Ambitious for Britain’, as ABP continues to drive economic growth and prosperity, built upon strong foundations of safety, people and a determined sustainability mindset. Handing 27% of all UK port volumes in value, ABP is the UK’s number one ports operator, supporting over 166,000 jobs in industrial sectors nationally through the £13bn of manufacturing exports the group’s 21 ports handle.
In June this year, ABP won the ‘Innovation in Safety’ Award at Multimodal 2023, for its bespoke Virtual Reality (VR) health and safety training, demonstrating cross-industry recognition of ABP’s leading role in the ports sector. However, ABP has been on the forefront in safety innovation for many years, becoming the first UK ports company to introduce Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) especially designed for women in 2019, leading the way for many other transport-related businesses.
ABP CEO Henrik L. Pedersen said: “This has been a very special year for us, as it saw the launch of our net-zero sustainability strategy, ‘Ready for Tomorrow’, which outlines our plan to invest £2 billion covering decarbonisation of our own port operations by 2040 and creation of port infrastructure supporting our customers’ large-scale green energy infrastructure projects.”
“Over the past 12 months, we have invested millions in our ports as well as supporting safety innovations and our people. I am proud of what we have achieved, working with our partners across industry and civil society. As we look towards the future, it is an important time to be ambitious for Britain.”
